Persistent organic pollutants remobilisation from permafrost? A preliminary study in the Kolyma basin (Russian Arctic)

<p>Permafrost environment will undergo significant changes during the 21^st century related to the forecasted climate warming, therefore, we may expect that rising temperatures will cause enhanced re-mobilization of deposited compounds from sinks in soils and permafrost. By analysing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) concentrations in surface waters we attempt to answer the question if permafrost is a secondary source of POPs stored in it. One of the most common organic pollutant groups worldwide, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), occurred also in Russian periglacial soils, sediments and water, and their further research is of interest due to them causing adverse effects in animal health. PAHs concentrations range from several to several thousand ng&#183;g^&#8211;1, reflecting a spatial variability related to supply from both anthropogenic and natural sources (e.g., Abakumov et al., 2015; Elmquist&#160; et al., 2007; Gabov et al., 2019).</p><p>Preliminary research on the possibile release of POPs into water has been conducted in July 2021 near the North-East Science Station (the lower Kolyma basin) (within the scope of PollAct project). Water samples (28 pcs) were collected from the Kolyma river, its tributaries and thermokarst lakes. The results of laboratory analysis (PAHs, PCBs, metals) are tested to find potential sources of contaminants (natural vs anthropogenic), and verify the possibility of their remobilisation from permafrost during thaw season. The study will be continued in 2022-2025 through the PER2Water project.</p><p><strong>Acknowledgment</strong></p><p>This research was funded by INTERACT, H2020-EU.1.4.1.2., grant number 730938; project: PollAct. This research was funded also in part by National Science Centre, Poland, grant number 2021/41/B/ST10/02947, PER2Water project.</p><p><strong>References</strong></p><p>Abakumov E.V., Tomashunas V.M., Lodygin E.D., Gabov D.N., Sokolov V.T., Krylenkov V.A., Kirtsideli I.Yu., 2015. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in insular and coastal soils of the Russian Arctic.&#160;Eurasian Soil Sc.&#160;48,&#160;1300&#8211;1305.</p><p>Elmquist M., Zencak Z.,Gustafsson &#214;., 2007. A 700 Year Sediment Record of Black Carbon and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons near the EMEP Air Monitoring Station in Aspvreten, Sweden. Environ. Sci. Technol. 41(20), 6926&#8211;6932.</p><p>Gabov D.N., Yakovleva Y.V., Vasilevich R.S., Kuznetsov O.L., Beznosikov V.A., 2019.&#160;Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Peat Mounds of the Permafrost Zone. Eurasian Soil Sc. 52(9), 1038&#8211;1050.</p>